Taiwan's Air Defense gets centralised Command and Control

News Report

As reported by Taiwan Today, the Republic of China (ROC) recently announced a plan to consolidate all its military’s missile units and anti-missile operations into a single air-defense missile command, reportung to the General Staff Headquarters. The purpose of the move is to shorten the command chain and increase response time so as to ensure the security of Taiwan’s air space.

Based on the news gathered trhough media reports, the main strength of the nation’s air-defense missile arsenal, including Patriot Advanced Capability-3, Tien Kung and Hawk missile batteries, will be shortly shifted from the Air Force’s air-defense artillery command to the Ministry of National Defense's missile command.

High-ranking military officials said this marks the first major change in Taiwan's armed forces’ air and missile defense operations command structure since the start of 2006, when various types of missile battalions under the MND’s missile general headquarters (now the missile command) were shifted to the air force’s air-defense artillery general headquarters, which is now the air-defense artillery command.

References: Taiwan Today (1)

Contract Award: Lockheed Martin to consolidate U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense capabilities

News Report

As announced in a recent press release, Lockheed Martin, as prime contractor leading a consortium of five major defense contractors (with Northrop Grumman serving as the principal subcontractor), has been awarded a follow-on contract with an estimated value of $980M to continue work on the Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications program (C2BMC) for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. The contractors, known as the Missile Defense National Team, will continue development, operations, and sustainment work.

The C2BMC program is the "integrating element" for the Ballistic Missile Defense System and links the various sensors and weapon systems. The system is the force multiplier providing capabilities to integrate and globally synchronize missile defense systems and operations, providing an optimized, layered defense against all ranges of threats and in all phases of flight.

The Technology

The Command, Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) program is the hub of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). It is a vital operational system that enables the U.S. president, secretary of defense and combatant commanders at strategic, regional and operational levels to systematically plan ballistic missile defense operations, to collectively see the battle develop, and to dynamically manage designated networked sensors and weapons systems to achieve global and regional mission objectives. C2BMC globally links, integrates and synchronizes individual missile defense elements, systems and operations, and therefore, it is an integral part of all system ground and flight tests which verify and exercise all current and future BMDS capabilities. The C2BMC system receives, processes, and displays tracking and status data from interconnected elements so that commanders at various locations have the same integrated operating picture and can make coordinated decisions about deploying weapons. This allows the central command structure to use the most effective weapons to engage threat ballistic missiles in all flight phases.

Through its operational software and networks, the C2BMC program provides redundant connectivity and enables on-site operations and sustainment for global combatant commanders. It provides key BMDS operational services through five product lines:

• Ballistic Missile Defense Planner: it provides warfighters the capability to explore the effectiveness of various defensive plans, and supports three types of planning crossing all phases of military operations: Adaptive/Deliberate, Crisis Action, and Dynamic Planning.
• Command and Control: C2BMC provides situational awareness by turning detailed data into decision quality information combatant commanders can employ in the event of a missile threat, and it also emphasizes a common, single, integrated ballistic missile picture and provides the status of the overall BMDS, from the president down to the operational levels of command.
• Global Engagement Manager: C2BMC provides the first true BMDS battle management capability and acts as a force multiplier to achieve integrated, layered ballistic missile defense through improved sensor resource management and engagement coordination.
• Ballistic Missile Defense Network: C2BMC aligns and integrates the individual sensors and weapon elements of the BMDS, and it provides robust, high-availability connectivity to quickly and unambiguously share information across the global BMDS.
• Concurrent Test, Training, and Operations: C2BMC meets the warfighter’s requirements for a capability to sustain BMDS operations while supporting concurrent Research, Development, Test & Evaluation and maintenance. In addition, C2BMC enables the warfighter to conduct distributed, high–fidelity, end-to-end training for missile defense operations.

In terms of C4I capabilities, C2BMC Command and Control will provide a flexible, integrated architecture to plan, direct, control and monitor BMDS activities. C2 would provide decision-aid applications that integrate information and recommendations for defensive options in near real-time to develop the operational war fighting aids required for formulating and implementing informed decisions and reduce decision cycles. This would permit quick redirection and reallocation of assets based on rapidly changing situations and threats. C2 also would integrate the Unified Commands, North Atlantic Treaty Organization and other allies, friends, and other external systems to which C2 would connect.

The system will control the launching or firing of missiles and integrate the kill chain functions (surveillance, detect/track/classify, engage and assess) across the layered defenses (boost, midcourse and terminal). As the whole BMDS evolves, the system will provide the user with increased automation, capability, and ability to integrate information from increasingly diverse resources. System advancements will further increase situation awareness with continued improvements in tracking and discrimination information, sensor netting, operability with coalition partners, near real time intelligence, battlefield learning and dynamic planning.

Comments

“The team is providing in-depth technical knowledge to achieve the newest, most evolved capabilities for the Ballistic Missile Defense System,” said John Osborn, director of Missile Defense Systems for Lockheed Martin IS&GS-Defense. “The historical knowledge of the mission, along with our proven implementation of creative solutions, as developed on C2BMC since 2002, will result in continuity of operations for the fielded C2BMC capabilities located worldwide and evolving challenges to come.”

The Context

The U.S. DoD has treated ballistic missile defense  as a priority since the mid-1980s and has invested tens of billions of  dollars to research and develop such capabilities.

In 2002 two key events transformed DoD’s approach in this area: the Secretary of  Defense consolidated existing missile defense elements into a single acquisition program and placed them under the management of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and the President directed MDA to begin fielding an initial configuration, or block, of missile defense capabilities in 2004.

U.S. MDA was assigned the mission to develop and field a Ballistic Missile Defense System capable of defeating ballistic missiles of all ranges in all phases of flight. In particular, the system was intended to defend the U.S. homeland against intercontinental ballistic missile attacks and to protect deployed U.S. armed forces, which were operating in or near hostile territories, against short-and medium-range ballistic missiles. Additionally, the BMDS was designed to evolve into a system that would be capable of defending friends and allies of the United States.

The "Block 2004 BMDS" requested by the U.S. Government was based upon the capabilities developed in legacy programs, i.e. the GMD (Ground-Based Midcourse Defense), Aegis BMD (Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense), and Patriot elements, and it was viewed as a collection of semi-autonomous missile defense systems interconnected and coordinated through the Command, Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) element.

MDA formally initiated the C2BMC program in 2002 as the integrating and controlling element of the BMDS.

References: Lockheed Martin (1), U.S. MDA (2), DefenseIndustryDaily (3), GlobalSecurity.org (4), GAO.gov (5)

Contract Award: ThalesRaytheonSystems to upgrade NATO Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence

News Report

As announced in a recent press release, ThalesRaytheonSystems has been awarded a contract by the NATO Air Command and Control System (ACCS) Management Agency on behalf of the NATO Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence programme (ALTBMD), to upgrade the operational hardware and software of the ALTBMD Territorial Missile Defence (TMD) Interim Capability (InCa).

The System

ALTBMD is a System of Systems providing the NATO with the capability to defend NATO Forces, deployed either within or beyond NATO's Area of Responsibility, against the threat posed by Tactical Ballistic Missiles with ranges up to 3000 km.

ALTBMD does not create another separate NATO system, but adapts existing systems to support NATO Territorial Missile Defence (TMD). Systems being integrated into the ALTBMD are:

• the NC3A BI-SC AIS (NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency Bi-Strategic Commands Automated Information System)
• the NACMA ACCS (NATO ACCS Management Agency Air Command and Control System)
• the NGCS (NATO General Communication System)
• sensors and weapon systems provided by the NATO Nations, and integrated into the NATO ICC (Integrated Command and Control System).

 

The ALTBMD TMD Interim Capability (InCa) is currently being fielded. Integration activities have taken place as well as successful technical verification of the system. The InCa is being implemented in two steps:

• Step 1 provides some of the required functionality by leveraging NATO research programmes in the Theater Ballistic Missile Defence area. The Step 1 InCa is based on NC3A Bi-SC AIS Prototype 1, that is interfaced with the NATO ICC system and deployed in the locations designated by the NATO Military Authorities. The implementation of TMD Interim Capability Step 1 has provided an early operational capability to the user community and at the same time provides a building block for a more robust Interim Capability.
• Step 2 provides the full interim functionality required by the NATO Strategic Commands. Building on Step 1, additional Theater Ballistic Missile Defence area planning and tasking functionality as well as interfaces with national systems will be fielded, and Situational Awareness functionality will be included. The final step of the Interim Capability will provide enhanced coordination between the various NATO levels of command, resting atop the NGCS that provides the underlying communication services for the NATO ALTBMD Interim Capability.

The Context

Recognizing the need for missile defence to counter nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) threats, the 1999 NATO strategic concept stated: “The Alliance's defence posture against the risks and potential threats of the proliferation of NBC weapons and their means of delivery must continue to be improved, including through work on missile defence. The aim in doing so will be to further reduce operational vulnerabilities of NATO military forces while maintaining their flexibility and effectiveness despite the presence, threat or use of NBC weapons.”

In May 2001, NATO launched two feasibility studies conducted by teams led by Lockheed-Martin and SAIC. The Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence programme (ALTBMD) was established in September 2005 after the completion of the two-year feasibility study in which eight NATO nations and various NATO projects cooperatively participated. The focus of the programme was the upgrade, test and integration of NATO’s command and control (C2) systems and underlying communication network to enable effective information exchanges between various NATO and national missile defence systems in both real-time (engagement) and non real-time (planning). This integrated system-of-systems architecture will create a larger range of detection, communication and missile defence capabilities for NATO forces, whether deployed within or beyond NATO’s area of responsibility. It will also provide complete coverage against the threat posed by tactical ballistic missiles with ranges up to 3,000 kilometres.

In November 2006, at the Riga Summit Meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government, an SAIC corporate officer and the ALTBMD Programme Manager signed the official agreement (the NATO Secretary General looks on). This $95 million contract envisioned the fielding of both an initial operational capability (IOC) and a final operational capability (FOC).

In 2007, ALTBMD members, voluntary national contributors and national experts from nine contributing NATO nations combined with company members to form Integrated Project Teams in The Hague. These IPTs included companies from several member nations, including: Finmeccanica, Diehl, EADS, iABG, QinetiQ, Raytheon, Thales and ThalesRaytheonSystems.

An important milestone for the programme is achieved in 2008 when the ALTBMD integration and test facility (known as the “Integration Test Bed - ITB”) becomes operational (ahead of schedule). Consisting of computer simulation tools to test the architectures, it started to be used for integration tests to ensure that all national systems worked effectively together. With connections to participating member nations' operations and test facilities throughout the Alliance, the approach to the development of this complex system of systems was based on extensive prototyping, design and implementation of advanced architectures, and their validation through modelling and computer-based simulation.

The programme kept on incrementally building toward its final Reference Architecture in two distinct phases, known as Capability 1 and Capability 2. Capability 1 includes the available C2 units, sensors and lower tier weapon systems, while Capability 2 will add upper tier weapon systems.
In 2009, an early capability requested by the NATO Strategic Commands began to be fielded (Interim Capability - InCA), providing some of the required functionality by leveraging NATO research programmes in the TBMD area and capabilities that were currently in use. The fielding of InCA 1 was completed on 2010 to 18 NATO sites.

 

ThalesRaytheonSystems was awarded a contract to develop InCa Step 2 in June 2010 and delivered its part of the system to the end users in December of 2010. The Company worked in close cooperation with the NATO’s ALTBMD Programme Office to field InCa Step 2 and again in August 2011 to conduct operational exercises.

Pursuant to the expanded NATO ambition for missile defence as articulated at the Lisbon Summit, a contract was also signed on 20 September 2011 with an industry consortium led by SAIC. This team joined the Programme Office at the NATO C3 Agency in The Hague on 3 October 2011 to develop the detailed technical requirements to transform NATO’s Theatre Missile Defence Programme into a programme to protect the NATO territory and populations. The consortium includes: France (EADS Astrium), Germany (IABG), Italy (Finmeccanica's SELEX Sistemi Integrati), The Netherlands (TNO), the UK (QinetiQ) and the U.S. (SAIC, Raytheon).

  

Under the last awarded contraco, ThalesRaytheonSystems will be upgrading TMD InCa Step 2 to the latest configuration of NATO Air Command and Control System (ACCS). As the world’s first fully integrated C2 system for planning, tasking and execution of air operations, NATO ACCS replaces multiple aging air C2 systems in the NATO nations.

Comments

“ThalesRaytheonSystems is committed to supporting this alliance focused approach. Systems such as the Air Command and Control System Level of Operational Capability 1 (ACCS LOC1) and Missile Defence on top of ACCS LOC1 will be critically important to fight as one alliance with warfighters from across the nations trained on common highly interoperable Command and Control systems,” said Jack Harrington, CEO, ThalesRaytheonSystems, during a briefing to NATO and industry participants at the contract signature ceremony in the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

 

References: ThalesRaytheonSystems (1), NATO (2,3)

 

Contract Award: Kongsberg to upgrade Norwegian Network-Centric Air Defence capabilities

News Report

As announced in a recent press release, Kongsberg has signed a 360 MNOK contract to deliver an upgrade of NASAMS air defence system to the Royal Norwegian Air Force. The NASAMS system is produced by Kognsberg and Raytheon, and the upgrade will be delivered within a 2-year timeframe. The upgrade consists of deliveries of new High Mobility Launchers for increased mobility, upgrade of the existing FDC Command & Control centres and associated training facilities.

The System

The Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) is a Network Centric Medium Range Air Defence System providing multiple-simultaneous engagement and beyond visual range (BVR) capabilities, closely integrated and adapted to a Country’s adjacent weapons and command and control systems. The system is intended to protect facilities and other assets against airborne threats such as cruise missiles, fighter aircraft, helicopters and/or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The NASAMS employs legacy hardware associated to the proven HAWK air defense system and the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, as well as new hardware and components. All in, NASAMS air defense system consists of radars linked in a network, command and control systems and launch pads for AMRAAM missiles.

A standard NASAMS unit has a modular design comprising a command post FDC, an active 3D radar AN/MPQ64F1 Sentinel, a passive electro-optic and infra-red sensor and a number of missile canister launchers with AMRAAM missiles.

Normally, four NASAMS units are netted in a battalion network. Each NASAMS battery consists of 3 or 4 fire distribution centers, 3 or 4 surveillance, acquisition, and tracking radar systems, 9 truck-mounted missile launchers with 6 AMRAAM missiles each, and 3 or 4 truck-mounted MSP 500 electro-optical sensor for visual target identification and raid size assessment. This configuration enables NASAMS to engage up to 54 targets simultaneously within a few seconds.

The system is tied together with a uniquely designed ”hard-real-time” communication network to ensure minimum latency over large distances for maximum performance of the AMRAAM missile. This modular design permits mission oriented task force organization of NASAMS, allowing the operators to maximize the effect of the components and tailor the system to the task. The radar and launcher elements can be deployed over a large area separated by up to 25 kilometres, providing an extended coverage with few elements. Dispersed elements increase its survivability against enemy air and ground attacks.

The Context

Since its first introduction in Norway, another four countries in NATO and EU have acquired NASAMS. NASAMS is renowned for its use of the Raytheon AMRAAM missile, but is furthermore operational with command and control of a range of guns and short and medium range missiles, such as e.g. L-70 guns, RBS 70 and HAWK. It has also proven integration with directed-energy weapons (DEWs) and longer range systems, such as e.g. Patriot. A total of eight nations have acquired the KONGSBERG command and control solution adapted to their requirements.

NASAMS is in operational use in Norway, Spain the US and the Netherlands, and in production for Finland. Greece, Sweden and Turkey selected the KONGSBERG command and control solution for meeting their requirements.

The United States selected NASAMS for the defence of the capital Washington DC in the War on Terror. The 24/7 deployment to Washington has accumulated more than 35.000 hours of active mission. NASAMS has proven extremely reliable and demonstrated very high availability.

Comments

“We are very satisfied with the fact that NASAMS has been selected for an upgrade. NASAMS is the back-bone of Norwegian ground based air defence, and is the preferred medium range air defence system in NATO," said Eirik Lie, Executive Vice President, Kongsberg Defence Systems.

References: Kongsberg (1,2), Deagel (3)

Contract Award: URS to support U.S. Marine Air Command and Control Systems

News Report

As announced in a recent press release, URS Corporation has been awarded a contract by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane, Indiana to support U.S. Marine Corps aviation Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. The contract, which has a one-year base term and a one-year option period, has a maximum value of $42.9 million over the full two years.

Under the terms of the contract, URS will provide acquisition, engineering and program management services for new systems and the sustainment of legacy systems used by the Marine Air Command and Control Systems (MACCS) community.

Examples of new acquisitions include programs such as the Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S). URS will also sustain legacy systems with technical and engineering services for such systems as the Air Defense Communications Platform (ADCP) and the Communications Data Link System (CDLS). The majority of the work will be performed at NSWC Crane and at URS' nearby facilities.

The Systems

The Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) is a major C2 systems design and development effort to modernize the C2 assets of the U.S. Marine Air Command and Control System (MACCS). CAC2S will use standardized tactical shelters and common hardware, and software toward reducing the MACCS logistical footprint and commonalizing U.S. Marine Corps equipment. It will encompass the MACCS C2 missions and functions and replace the current C2 suites with one integrated operational system.

Ultimately, CAC2S will help provide Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) mission critical support to better integrate aviation and ground combat operations. During MAGTF joint and combined operations, voice and data interconnectivity between all friendly C2 assets is imperative.

The Air Defense Communications Platform (ADCP) is a shelterized HMMWV based air defense communications node. Its primary mission is to convey Theater Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD) information collected by the AN/TPS-59 radar to elements of the theater integrated air defense system. The ADCP receives, processes, transmits, and forwards critical voice and target data information to required MACCS agencies and Joint users of the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) network.

The ADCP system consists of Sun UltraSparc Single-Board Computers (SBC) in a VME chassis, workstations, a TADIL-J terminal, various communication subsystems, a duplex Intra-Battery Data Link (IBDL) capability, Ground Based Data Link (GBDL) ports and the capacity to receive Tactical Ballistic Missile (TBM) targets directly from the AN/TPS-59 long range surveillance radar via Point-to-Point Data Link (PPDL).  The equipment is housed in a Shelterized-Integrated Command Post Shelter (SICPS) mounted on an M1097 High-Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). A MEP-3 mobile diesel-fueled generator powers the system.

The Communications Data Link System (CDLS) is an extremely high-speed wideband data link that transmits signal and imagery intelligence data between reconnaissance aircraft sensors and associated surface ship processing systems.

The CDLS is a "dual system" package that includes two antennas and two data link electronic for each ship, allowing naval commanders to track aircraft from any location aboard vessel. It also provides 15 different waveforms that can be transmitted at top speed to nearly all variants of military aircraft.

Comments

Commenting on the contract, Randall A. Wotring, President of Federal Services for URS, said: "We are honored by this contract award which allows us to expand our relationship with both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. We look forward to supporting the readiness of their valuable C4ISR assets."

References: URS (1), MCTSSA (2), Dote.Osd.Mil (3), GlobalSecurity.org (4), Marine Corps (5), Cubic (6)

MEADS network-centric architecture under integration testing

MEADS BMC4I Centre

News Report

As reported in a recent press release, MEADS International (MI) has begun integration testing on the first completed Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) battle manager at the MEADS Verification Facility in Orlando, U.S.A.

The battle manager completed acceptance testing in May at MBDA in Fusaro, Italy, and arrived in Orlando in early July.

The System

The MEADS battle manager controls a revolutionary network-centric open architecture that allows any combination of sensors and launchers to be organized into a single air and missile defense battle element. Through a capability called “plug-and-fight,” sensors, shooters or other battle managers act as nodes on the network. From the MEADS battle manager, a commander can add or subtract nodes as the situation dictates without shutting down the system.

System elements are on schedule for an initial launch test at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) later this year.

Using the MEADS system stimulator, which consists of multiple special test equipment units for integration and test to emulate the external environment of a MEADS fire unit, MEADS International will simulate scenarios that exercise all functions for the first intercept flight test in 2012. The MEADS battle manager will configure the other major end items and receive Surveillance Radar tracks for simulated threats, cue the Multifunction Fire Control Radar, send launch commands, and complete interceptor launches and target intercepts. When integration test goals have been met, this entire suite of hardware will be shipped to WSMR to support the flight test program.

The Context

MEADS International, a multinational joint venture headquartered in Orlando, Fla., is the prime contractor for the MEADS system. Major subcontractors and joint venture partners are MBDA in Italy, LFK in Germany (a German missile systems company subsidiary of EADS) and Lockheed Martin in the United States.

The United States funds 58 percent of the MEADS program, and European partners Germany and Italy provide 25 percent and 17 percent respectively as partners in the NATO Medium Extended Air Defense System Management Organization (NAMEADSMO).

MEADS is a mobile Air and Missile Defense System that is easily transportable, tactically mobile and uses the hit-to-kill PAC-3 MSE Missile to defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft, providing full 360-degree engagement. Because it has no blind spots against the evolving threat and offers improved range, interoperability and mobility, MEADS improves capability to defend troops, friends and allies in critical areas around the globe.

MEADS defends up to 8 times the coverage area of other systems but uses far fewer system assets. This allows for a substantial reduction in deployed personnel and equipment, and reduces demand for airlift.

Comments

MEADS International (MI) President David Berganini said, “The MEADS system is ready to prove what it can do. MEADS will demonstrate coverage and flexibility that other systems cannot provide, including complete 360-degree defense that protects our warfighters against next-generation threats. While able to defend up to eight times the area of current systems, MEADS is also designed to reduce operation and support costs.”

MI Systems Engineering, Integration and Test Team Director Norbert Wuehrer said, “Using our end-to-end simulation lets us test more rigorously and significantly reduces risk prior to deploying to White Sands Missile Range.”

References: Lockheed Martin (1,2)

Contract Award: Barco to provide rugged display for Air Defense

Barco TX-243 Commander Display (Barco)

References: Barco (1,2,3)

News Report

As appeared in a recent press release, Barco announced that it has been selected by defense company MBDA for its first Multi Purpose Combat Vehicle system (MPCV). Barco will provide its TL-248 and TX-243 rugged displays, mission recorders and Fiber Optic Link for these armored ground vehicles.

The Product

The TL-248 is Barco’s 19" thin and lightweight display offering significant benefits with respect to dimensions, ruggedization and intelligence. The TL display family combines thinness with exceptionally low weight to provide a unique, rugged display solution, especially for applications where space and weight are critical. The TL-248 features a 19" Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Display offering excellent performance in terms of brightness, crispness, contrast and viewing angle. Several options and bezel configurations are available to address virtually any mounting need in any application. Additionally, the TL-248 combines this high level of performance and versatility with a very competitive price/performance value.

Barco's TX-243 is an extremely rugged display for the highly demanding environment of the utility vehicle, helicopter or ground army vehicle. The TX-243 offers an ideal solution for battlefield management, fire control, driver’s view enhancement, reconnaissance or local situational awareness inside today’s rugged vehicles. Barco's TX-243 display offers the latest proven technologies, such as low-reflection touch screen, NVIS capability and sunlight readability. The TX-243 features a unique thermal management system which makes the displays fit for the harshest temperature environments. The combination of low-risk, proven display technology with Barco’s innovative display concepts makes the TX-243 the most trusted mission-critical display for vehicle operations on the market.

The Context

MBDA is the European leader and a world leader in the missile systems sector. Four years after launching its self-funded development of MPCV (Multi Purpose Combat Vehicle), a new generation of mobile, quick reaction ground based air defense systems, MBDA has signed a contract with an export customer, for whom MBDA will be integrating its air defense system onto high mobility armored vehicles. For these systems, MBDA has officially selected Barco's TX-243 commander display and TL-248 fire control display in combination with a complete set of operator HMI (Human Machine Interface) functionalities. In addition, MBDA has also selected Barco's mission recorder for post-mission analysis and training and its Fiber Optic Link for remote operation in a safe environment.

MBDA MPCV

The Multi Purpose Combat Vehicle (MPCV) is an MBDA self-funded program for a flexible very short range air defense (VSHORAD) system. The MCPV combines the proven Mistral short range surface-to-air missile (SAM), a machine gun and advanced sensors and fire control system. The Renault Sherpa 3A is the basic platform for this VSHORAD system but can be integrated onto many platforms upon customer request. The system relies on VHF PR4G-F@stnet communications supplied by Thales. The system is network-centric operations capable and can be operated remotely at a distance of up to 50 meters with the crew in sheltered positions. The MCPV air defense system has been ordered by the French Armed Forces. In February 2011, MBDA announced the first export order from an undisclosed customer in the Middle East with the first series production vehicles to be delivered in 2013.

The program was launched in 2006. Final qualification of the MPCV system was carried out by the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) in June 2010 after a series of test firings at the missile test firing centre at Biscarosse in the Landes region of France. These tests culminated with a firing demonstration against a number of targets representing a saturating air attack. The MPCV can be integrated within a command and coordination network via the MCP (Mistral Coordination Post) command and control system (C2). The MPCV's turret is fitted with four ready-to-fire Mistral missiles with another four stored inside the vehicle, a 12.7mm self-defense machine gun, and EOSS (Electro-Optic Surveillance Sensor) enabling the passive surveillance, detection and tracking of the target even when the vehicle is in motion.

Comments

“We selected Barco because we needed a reliable partner and because of their position of worldwide leader in rugged displays,” comments the MPCV Project Manager at MBDA. “Barco's rugged displays provide the operator with an efficient, ergonomic interface system. They are renowned for their extreme reliability and excellent readability. In addition, we very much value Barco's project management capabilities.”

“Barco has been serving the defense community for over 20 years, providing a qualified line of visualization technologies for many military vehicle programs around the world. This experience enabled us to quickly customize our products to the specific MBDA requirements for the first demonstrator unit,” comments Jean-Luc Pomier, Market Director for Barco's Defense & Aerospace Division. “Based on this successful development, we were selected for the full program.”

Further Readings

• Barco TL-248
• Barco TX-243